New ‘Invictus’ Poster is Genius

As you may well know, I love falafel sandwiches. I also love movie marketing (to a slightly lesser degree), and I’ve combed through thousands upon thousands of one sheets from every point in film history out of an obsession for knowing what draws in an audience.

Invictus might be the worst name change this year, but the first poster for it is absolutely perfect. A major star front and center (but not just standing around), the visage of Mandela looming large but still in the background (as a metaphor for how Mandela led), simple lettering, and the first successful use of in-laying I’ve seen (but they sure as hell tried for Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li).

Check it out for yourself:

Not to mention a really solid tagline.

My only question is whether or not that’s Morgan Freeman as Mandela or just an image of Mandela. So either the make up department should get a standing ovation or the marketing department decided against using the actor on the poster.

But I don’t care really either way. It’s a small detail in an otherwise beautiful little piece of marketing.

And, “Morgan Freeman playing Nelson Mandela” might as well be written on post-its and handed to Academy members as this flick’s Oscar push.

What do you think? Set aside your bias of wanting Samuel L. Jackson to play Mandela.

A veteran of writing about movies for nearly a decade, Scott Beggs has been the Managing Editor of Film School Rejects since 2009. Despite speculation, he is not actually Walter Mathau's grandson. See? He can't even spell his name right.

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